The light microscopic studies on experimental cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils have provided an overall view of the dynamics in the development, maturation and resolution of ischemic lesions. The described "maturation" phenomenon seems to be a general principle applicable to various parameters of ischemic injury and it may play an important part in interpretation of clinical situations where deterioration of a clinical condition and emergence of positive isotope scanning are observed after certain periods of latency. The evidence of neuronal recovery from ischemic injury is of importance for designing procedures which would further stimulate such recovery and thus be of potential significance for clinical treatment of cerebral ischemia.